I'm all in favor of the physical camera button. I was actually brainstorming today about ways to be able to select which app you want to run without actually turning on the screen (be it iphone/droid/wp7/whatever). I want to be able to take out my phone and just start doing what I want to use it for immediately, without fiddling with lock screens and menus. I want it to be a voice recorder on demand, camera on demand, camcorder on demand, mp3 player on demand, etc.
Re:Anandtech's Detailed WP7 Review
by loewenskind on Thursday October 21, 2010 @03:37AM
(#1814612)
The reason you have lock screens is exactly because you have the phone in your pocket. If it worked the way you suggest you would have photos of the inside of your pocket, recordings, phone calls, etc.
I think you misunderstood. I'm not saying there shouldn't be a lock screen, I'm trying to figure out a way to keep the lock screen (so that it doesn't do stuff in your pocket) but be able to go from phone-in-pocket to doing-what-i-want-it-to-do, without going through the usual process of: take out phone, power on, bypass lock screen, search for app icon, etc. I don't know how to accomplish that, but it would be a huge feature for me if it was possible.
Well, if you don't have PIN to lock, you could have different gestures to unlock that would jump to an app. Like swipe up for camera, right for phone, diagonal for messaging, etc. Perhaps even show those icons so unlocking is swiping the app icon you want to use across the screen. As long as it's limited to a few apps, it might work.
Actually that's exactly what I came up with later last night after posting the comment. Lock screens on android are replaceable right? Maybe I've found my first dev project...
Re:Anandtech's Detailed WP7 Review
by loewenskind on Thursday October 21, 2010 @07:53AM
(#1815049)
Ah, I didn't get that from your original comment. If you could figure this out you could probably.... erm.... <whisper>patent it</> and sell it for big bucks to any of the big phone players.
This is telling of how strict Microsoft is being with the hardware:
"At the top left of any Windows Phone there must be a volume rocker. The top right has to have a power/lock button. The lower right has to have a physical camera button capable of waking the phone up from sleep and putting it directly into the camera app. Microsoft views the smartphone as the replacement for the point and shoot camera and thus Windows Phone needs to be able to function just as quickly as a P&S. Finally, all Windows Phones must have a 3.5” stereo audio out jack and support for headsets with three button integration."